A grocery store's plan to shame shoppers for using plastic bags completely backfired

An example of one of the slogans used on East West Market's plastic bags.East West Market/Instagram

Vancouver's East West Market printed embarrassing slogans on its plastic bags so customer's wouldn't want them

Shaming your customers will certainly deter them from frequenting your business, right? Well, for a Vancouver grocery store, that couldn’t be more wrong.

East West Market owner David Kwen implemented a colourful way of encouraging his shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. For customers who forgot them, their groceries were packed in head-turning plastic bags that read “Wart Ointment Wholesale,” “Into the Weird Adult Video Emporium” or “The Colon Care Co-Op.”

The idea was to shame shoppers for using plastic bags and convert them to eco-friendly, reusable bags. Instead, people flocked to the grocery store, paying the five-cent plastic bag penalty just to get their hands on the unique designs.

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